Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1887-12-01
Ben's Foreign Service.

Of Wesley Grange, had come pretty
nearly to the end of his tether He
had but lately succeeded to the estate.
and it had come to him very heavily
encountered; and now. with reduced
rents. irregularly pail. he found it inn
poss bic to 90 on. He had. therefore.
determined to spend couple of years
on The continent, during which time he
hoped that the agricultural deprcssions
would pass away.
The eslabl shment at the hall was
not a large one by any means for
country bachelor s1u re. but it was lar
ger than he could afford to keep up
under existing C rcumsiances. SO one
evening he called his servants together
and told them how matt RS were with
him, bidding them seek other institu-
tons at once.
His personal servant. Ben Higgins.
was not inelu ted in the general dismiss
master abroad. Ben was one of those
men not unfreguently met with in the
country-a man who could turn his
hand to most things, though he might
not lie good at any. Tue position he
held at Westley Grange was a cross be-
tween valet and gamekeeper. but at
odd times he had been known to cook
his masters dinner and make his mas.
ters's bed. Tn S was during n grous-
ing expedition to the Welsh hills, but
the rumor of it had travelled to West
ley. Bon was in high spirits when he
was told of the journey in store for him.
'Tll teach these foreigners a thing
or two," he said TO the cook one night;
to which she replied: you be very
careful. Mr.. Ben, that they don't teach
you more than you teach them"
Them" he cred; "thcm teach me?
Why 1 could wallop the lot of 'cm, if |
wanted to-"
Then you mind you don want to"
she answered
"Why. you know very WELL" con-
tinued Ben, "that l set your watch
agoing after James, the matchmaker,
had had it month, and couldn't make
nothing of it; and 1 stopped the blue
bed room chimbIy smoking, when the
smoke had nearly druv you all out of
the place
Rubbish" she said. 1.-The watch
wind NC. and as for the chjmbIy, it
smoked because there was a bag OF straw
in it. You needn't crow over them
things young man.
Yes, there was a little ill feeling on
the past of the cook toward Ben. She
had claimed him for her own original
ly, but Ben had fought shy; and latter
ly he had been paying good deal OF
attention to Anna. the hOusemaid at the
rectOry. Either fault alone, on Ben ;
part would have made the cook some
what aggrived toward him, but the two
combined was more than culinary
flesh and blood could stand. Thus ii
happened that her tongue hal an ac-
cess of acerbity when moving at Ben.
Down at the reclory the cOmmotion
was nearly rs general. The servants
discussed the situation from morning
till night, and Anna received many un-
pleasant jeers.
Stick to you!" said the coachman,
"not he. Them sort never st cks TO
nothing but their Daccv When you
says goodby to Ben, you says goodby
for ever. my lass"
He can please himself" she said;
"buL if he thinks | shall die broken
hearted because he takes on with some
foreign girl. he's very much mi>took. -
chats alwa the way with you
women folk. You talk as big rs b g
and when it comes to- you doubles NJ
to moth ng."
But Ben and mes different" sal,
Anna. If he's not in earnest. d,
more aren't L. VIII CHI was, perhaps
consolatory.
The time slipped rapidly by, and
wanted but day II Ben and h mast
OF should start for the continent
That night Ben repaired to the rector,
and had a parting interview VT
Anna. His last words we're: You
not forget me. Anna, when l am parte
from you? I'm aeon ny back for yo
some day. Till then. no river!'
Till what?"
That's bit of French, my dear
I've bin learning the langwidge lately
It's something Ike .goodby,' onl
more so. Ho river" And so the
parted.
In the course of n few weeks Be
and his master were comfortably settle
in small German village near Bonn
The house where they had made the
home was an old farmhouse that ha
once belonged to noble family, bu
was now partly fallen to decay.
was inhab ted by the present owner
who carried on the bus ness of sma
farmer and wine grower. He had ne
Their wife nor child, the domestic funt
tons being superintendent, and in
great measure performed. by sister
Naturally therefore, it came about the
Ben and Fraulein Schmidt were ofte
in each others company and. natura
Iy, also, Ben improved the occasion.
And the Fraulein herself grew real
to Ike the big boastful Engl shmal
and did her best to make both h,
dodgers contented with their tempor
ry home. This was about the positiC
OF affairs when, some Is months aft
they had left England, Mr. Westl'
told Ben he should soon be returnin
This was a sad blow to Ben. No mo
poached eggs on hot buttered toast,
more tempting Rhine wine. no mo
idle DAYS. He told the Fraulein VIII
the Herr had said, and she. too, grie
ed. No more stories about Londo
no more leaves from the stately gene
logical tree; no more pleasant eve
ings